Army Trial Counsel in Contested Article 131b Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
The records hold 30 contested Army courts-martial charging Article 131b (obstruction) from 2023 to 2026, and 28 list a trial counsel of record. The most experienced prosecutor on each team had a median of 9.5 prior cases in the data.
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Short answer: The records hold 30 contested Army courts-martial charging Article 131b (obstruction) from 2023 to 2026, and 28 list a trial counsel of record. The most experienced prosecutor on each team had a median of 9.5 prior cases in the data. Convictions carried a median confinement of 1.9 years, compared with 1.5 years in all contested Army cases, and 67% of convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge, compared with 68%.
Size of the Prosecution Teams
Trial counsel are the government's lawyers at a court-martial. Of the 28 cases that list one, 15 list 2 trial counsel of record and 9 list 3 or more. Only 4 list a single trial counsel.
When a team has several lawyers, the records do not say who led. Each case on this page is therefore grouped by its most experienced trial counsel of record.
The Experience Count
Experience means prior cases: the Army courts-martial in this data where a lawyer was counsel of record, for either side, before the date of the trial being counted. Work done before the records begin is not included, and the number is not a measure of skill. This page does not rate or rank any lawyer.
Spread of Prosecutor Experience
The median prior-case count for the most experienced trial counsel was 9.5. The 5 to 9 group held 9 cases (32%), the 10 to 19 group held 8 (29%), and the 20 or more group held 6 (21%).
The 1 to 4 group held 4 cases (14%). In 1 case (4%), no trial counsel of record had a prior case in this data.
| Prior cases (most experienced trial counsel) | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 1 | 4% |
| 1 to 4 | 4 | 14% |
| 5 to 9 | 9 | 32% |
| 10 to 19 | 8 | 29% |
| 20 or more | 6 | 21% |
Outcomes by Prosecutor Experience
The verdict table covers the 28 contested cases that reached a verdict and list a trial counsel. A contested case is one with a not-guilty or mixed plea. A partial acquittal is a finding of not guilty on at least one charge or specification and guilty on another.
In the 20 or more group, 4 of 6 cases ended in a full acquittal and 2 of 6 in a partial acquittal. The 10 to 19 group had 3 of 8 full acquittals and 4 of 8 partial acquittals. The 5 to 9 group had 2 of 9 and 5 of 9. In the 1 to 4 group, 1 of 4 ended in a full acquittal and 3 of 4 in a partial acquittal. The 1 case in which no trial counsel had a prior case ended in a full acquittal.
Every row holds fewer than 10 cases, so a single verdict moves the figures. The records do not show the evidence, plea offers, or who did the work. The rows describe outcomes, not an effect of experience.
| Prior cases (most experienced trial counsel) | Contested cases | Full acquittal | Partial acquittal |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| 1 to 4 | 4 | 1 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| 5 to 9 | 9 | 2 of 9 | 5 of 9 |
| 10 to 19 | 8 | 3 of 8 | 4 of 8 |
| 20 or more | 6 | 4 of 6 | 2 of 6 |
Trial Counsel and Defense Counsel in the Same Case
Both sides have lawyers listed in 28 cases. The most experienced trial counsel had more prior cases than the defense's most experienced lawyer in 13 (46%), and fewer in 13 (46%). The rest were tied.
Sentences After Conviction
Confinement after conviction had a median of 1.9 years, longer than the 1.5-year median for all contested Army cases in 2023–2026. These are the sentences announced at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.
A bad-conduct discharge or a dishonorable discharge (a punitive discharge) followed 67% of enlisted convictions. All contested Army cases had a rate of 68%. A sentence with no punitive discharge does not rule out later administrative separation.
Years and Counsel Name Records
These cases were tried from January 2023 through May 2026: 7 in 2023, 12 in 2024, 5 in 2025, and 6 in 2026. The 2026 figure is a partial year.
Army counsel names are nearly complete in the records from 2021, and starting this page in 2023 gives most lawyers earlier cases in the data. Name variants are combined as on Learn Your Lawyer. Navy and Marine Corps records list counsel only from mid-2025, mostly by surname, so they are excluded.
What the Records Do Not Cover
Special trial counsel, not commanders, have decided since December 28, 2023, whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. If every guilty finding is for an offense after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence under new sentencing parameters. The records give no offense dates, so cases tried from 2024 on are a mix.
Only cases that reached a courtroom are included. Nonjudicial punishment, administrative separation, and cases with no action are not in the records, and neither the evidence nor the plea terms are described.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army courts-martial with trial dates in 2023–2026 that charged Article 131b and had a not-guilty or mixed plea (30 cases). Counsel of record are as listed in the public records.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Counsel Experience (hub)
- Article 131b (Obstruction, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 131b Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 107 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 112a Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
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- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 120 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
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- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 128 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Compare: federal court. Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.